This is a further report in our section on the Crowned Republic, a term preferred by many experts to describe the present constitutional system. This may be compared with various proposals for some form of politicians' republic. To access the Crowned Republic section , just click on this icon on the front page. The Crowned Republic is also the name of our education site; to access this, go to the educational resource icon on the right of the front page. It is the one with a statue of the Australian soldier; alternatively, just click here.
Australia’s leading republicans have joined Australia’s leading constitutional monarchists in agreement about Australia already being a republic….a crowned republic.
With so many republicans also agreeing the Governor-General is the Australian Head of State, the public are no doubt confirmed in their lack of interest in any proposal to remove our oldest institution from our constitutional system. It is after all the one provides leadership beyond politics and is a significant check and balance on the exercise of political power.
…..leading republicans agree….
Among those who are more who are on the public record with a considered opinion that it may be “appropriate to regard Australia as a crowned republic” include these prominent republicans:
· 
The former Chair of the Australian Republican Movement and of the Republic Advisory Committee as well as the official Vote Yes Committee in the referendum, Malcolm Turnbull.
· 
The former Premier of New South Wales, the Hon.Nick Greiner.
· 
A former convenor of the Australian Republican movement, Emeritus Scholar of La Trobe University Dr. John Hirst.
· 
The prominent former member of the Constitutional Centenary foundation and television presenter, Mary Kostakidis.
· 
The former Senator and Minister for Education in the Hawke and Keating governments, Senator Susan Ryan.,
· 
The former Chair, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Commission, Lois O'Donoghue CBE, AM.
· 
That most distinguished republican constitutional lawyer, the late Professor George Winterton sometime Professor of Constitutional Law in the University of New South Wales and Challis Professor of Constitutional law in the University of Sydney.
· 
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne and Co-Chair with the then Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd, of the 2020 summit, Dr. Glyn Davis.
…Mr. Keating accepts the advice…
Their comment was in their unanimous Report of the Republic Advisory Committee appointed by the then Prime Minister Paul Keating.
Although funded by the taxpayers, Mr. Keating made it a condition of appointment that the every appointee bar none be republican.
When one Premier nominated a constitutional monarchist, the nomination was rejected. A similar approach was adopted in appointing the governance panel at the 2020 Summit. ( A section on this site is dedicated to the Summit.)
One constitutional monarchist – out of 100 – was appointed, Senator Brandis. It is believed they assumed he was a republican.
The Committee reported to Mr. Keating in 1993. In his address to Parliament on how he would act on the report, Mr. Keating did not dissent from their considered opinion about the status of Australia as a crowned republic.
…supporting republican views…
The Professor of Politics at the John Curtin institute of Public Policy at Curtin University, Alan Fenna says the “ term ‘Crowned Republic is the more apt.”
The Professor of Political Science at the University of Melbourne, and formerly Professor in the Research School of Social Science at the Australian National University Brian Galligan sees Australia as a federal republic, or a disguised republic.
…leading monarchists…
Leading constitutional monarchists who say that Australia is a crowned republic include: –
· 
The former Prime Minister, the Hon. John Howard.
· 
The former High Court Justice, Michael Kirby.
· 
The Leader of Her Majesty's Australian Opposition, the Tony Abbot.,
· 
The Acting Justice of the New South Wales Court of Appeal, Justice Ken Handley.
· 
The former Chairman of the Australian Press Council, Australian Broadcasting Authority and Associate Commissioner of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the National Convener of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, Emeritus Professor David Flint.
…so much agreement…
With so many republicans also agreeing with leading monarchists that the Governor-General is the Australian Head of State, the public are no doubt confirmed in their lack of interest in any proposal to remove the Australian Crown.
It is after all our oldest institution providing leadership beyond politics and also, a significant check and balance in our constitutional system.